


But Right Now I Just Don't

by majorshipper



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Not Quite Gen, Not Quite Het, Spoilers, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-01
Updated: 2011-12-01
Packaged: 2017-10-26 18:34:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/286574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/majorshipper/pseuds/majorshipper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was the last thing on Merlin’s list, and he was trying to get finished early.</p><p>Spoilers for all episodes leading up to and including 4x09.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But Right Now I Just Don't

**Author's Note:**

> It should be mentioned that the working title was "In which Merlin is the voice of fandom everywhere". So, there's that. Title from Relient K's [Which To Bury, Us or the Hatchet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZJBejiIHSo).

There’s a snort of amusement from the doorway, which Merlin studiously ignores, focusing instead on the task at hand.

When he thought of it like that, it sounded so much nicer than what he was actually doing. Which was aligning Arthur’s stupid jousting helmets in an exactly straight line and facing all at some imaginary point in the distance on the top shelf of Arthur’s accurately-named trophy corner. It was the last thing on Merlin’s list, and he was trying to get finished early.

“I don’t know, Merlin; that middle one looks a little crooked.”

Merlin cast a look over his shoulder at Arthur’s smirking face. “Really? Would you rather I-“ he paused for a moment to figure out what was just the right balance of insulting and exasperated. “Put it on the wrong shelf?” he concluded rather lamely.

Arthur’s grin just grew.

“Oh, no, Merlin, please, anything but that,” he deadpanned. Merlin just turned back to what he was doing and rolled his eyes.

There. Perfect.

“So, Merlin,” Arthur said from right behind him, and Merlin whirled around at his voice so close. He glared at the young king, and Arthur just smirked back. “Why’re you in such a hurry to get finished today?”

Merlin scowled at that. “No reason. Gaius has some things he wants me to do.”

Arthur raised an eyebrow. “Things you couldn’t do after you normally get off?”

“Yes,” Merlin answered abruptly.

“C’mon, Merlin, I thought we were friends,” Arthur teased lightly. “Friends don’t keep secrets.”

Merlin sighed. “Fine. You know what? I’m going to see my friend, Gwen. You may remember her. The one you _banished_.” He wasn’t at all ashamed of the venom in his own voice.

The room was quiet. Merlin watched as various emotions filtered across Arthur’s face before he settled on a careful mask of indifference.

“Oh,” he said. “I understand.” If Merlin didn’t know any better, he’d say that was resignation.

“No, I don’t think you do,” Merlin jumped in. His brain was screaming _would you kindly shut up; you’re talking to the king! Just stop talking right now_. It sounded unsurprisingly like a cross between Gaius and his mother. As usual, he ignored it, and plowed right on. “She asks about you, you know. Every time I go see her. She asks ‘How’s Arthur doing’, and ‘How is the kingdom?’ and ‘How is Camelot?’ and ‘Has he made any new changes?’ and ‘Oh yes, Merlin, I do love this food that you bring me because I’m out here all by myself banished to the wilderness with only you and my brother as visitors’!”

So maybe that part was a little violent.

Arthur looks like he’s caught off-guard; another little voice whispers _good_. He tries not to dwell on how familiar and feminine and now-evil that voice sounds and how he should not be listening to any voice that sounds like _Morgana_.

“Look,” Arthur sighs, again. “I still love her.”

“Prove it,” Merlin says without hesitation.

“It’s complicated, Merlin. You don’t understand.” Arthur rubs his face. “It’s not just about me and her. What would the people think? What would I look like? What would she look like?”

“You didn’t care what the people thought when you asked her to marry you. And you made sure everyone knew what to think about her when you _banished her from Camelot_.”

Arthur just shook his head and turned away from Merlin, towards the window. “It’s not that simple.”

“Yeah, it is.” Merlin says. That second little voice is nudging him to say more, but for once, he ignores it. “If there isn’t anything else, sire, I have a friend to visit.”

And he turns and leaves before Arthur can say anything in reply.

Merlin’s got a hard walk ahead of him if he wants to make it to Gwen and back before nightfall.


End file.
